4:53 p.m. Today's project was to deliver a tube of hand cream to a new customer, a stranger, actually, to whom I'd randomly given a sample in line at Vons over a week ago. I was delighted with her call yesterday afternoon, because of the rarity of that kind of initiative. When she mentioned that she'd be home all day because she homeschools her kids, I thought, "maybe she's a Christian!" this added to the anticipation of the business opportunity. Ecclesiastes 11:1 tells us, "Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days." Thank you, Lord!
In what has become a pattern the last few days during our financial trial, I awoke early, perturbed, but hopeful that the Lord would act in our behalf. I was experiencung that odd dichotomy of Christian living when your need is great, there's no reasonable expectation of deliverance from any source you can think of, but you have responsibilities to meet and duties to carry out, so you think of ways to cobble together a solution. Any parent is familiar with the childish reasoning our youngsters resort to, saying, "I'll just do this, and go over here, and call this person, and then I'll say, etc.," when you know their problem will take adult intervention, and you know exactly how you will help, or even take the lead, in solving it. That is how we must sound to God, I think! Aren't you glad He loves His kids? And that He already knows what He plans to do? He also adds in his gracious touches at no charge, just to cheer our hearts!
I arrived at my customer's Wood Streets home in the rain, well protected with a waterproof jacket that had weathered a downpour in London a few years ago. My new friend greeted me, and within minutes, we were enjoying the fellowship of commonality around homeschooling. She was teaching her 2nd and 4th graders, like I had taught my eldest son 24 years ago. The difference is that parents today have a huge variety of curricula to choose from as well as the opportunity to affiliate with charter schools. Sean and I had the A Beka Christian curriculum, my choice because I had taught several elementary grades with it. We belonged to a large "umbrella" group out of Corona, with most families belonging to Harvest or Crossroads. Christian attorneys were available pro bono, in case a family found themselves harassed by the local public district for "truancy." Homescholing was considered as quirky then as it is common today!
Of course, now, there are so many millions of homeschool families, that the California Dept. of Education has stopped trying to arrest parents. Our old nemesis Delaine Eastin has long since left her post as Secretary of Education, and hallelujah to that! I had more than one run-in with Mrs. Eastin when I was president of a statewide conservative school board members' organization, even debating her in a regional forum!
Sharing our testimonies while my customer's well-behaved children quietly did their work made for a particularly pleasant morning, a sweet surprise. I did a very little grocery shopping, made a cash deposit at the bank, and it was time to head up to the UPS store in Canyon Crest to ship back a coat for Heidi.
A call to the State Disability agency (E.D.D.) revealed that they had never received the form from Steve's doctor that was holding up the release of three scheduled payments! A very helpful agent named Liz told me that I could use a one-time fax number and that a check would be sent out within 24 hours of receiving the form. Encouraged, I contacted the doctor's office and stated my case tactfully while making the seriousness of the situation evident. I made up some gifts for the doctor and his staff. They really have worked hard to meet the deadlines required by the agencies we deal with, so I didn't have the heart to scold the staff! I'd rather bless them.
Meanwhile, my friend Charlotte popped over to do a little book exchange of Christian fiction. We not only enjoyed her chocolate "haystack" cookies (shown above), but discussed lots of spiritual matters, such as ideas for ministries, corporate prayer, and recognizing and using gifts of the Spirit.
Before we knew it, it was 4:00, and time for Charlotte to head home with her bag of books. She'll be seeing unsaved and backslidden family members on an upcoming trip, so I'll be keeping her covered in prayer.
As Steve and I delivered our gifts to the doctor's office and received our copy of the medical form, I reflected on the two interludes of friendship and fellowship I had been graced with today. Wouldn't have thought I'd had time, but God, the Maker of time, knew just what I needed!
What a Friend we have in Jesus!
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